Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-27
THURSDAY. JANUARY %, 1887.
New Jersey.

New Jersey.
The operation of the Federal law
providing for the election of United
States Senators affords another illustra-
ton of the fact that laws made for one
purpose often result in defeating the
very object for which they were en-
acted.
When Congress undertook to fix
day for the election of United States
Senators by the several State LeSlsla-
TIRES, the evil to be remedied was the
practice, then becoming too common,
of electing United States Senators seve-
raj years before their terms would be-
gin. This was done in order to make it
sure that the party in power in the Legs
lature at the time of the election should
have the new Senator. The new law to
remedy this wrong has not always eff
fected its object. On the contrary, the
result has been in some of those States
whose Legislatures hold only biennial
sessions it has been necessary to elect
the United States sSenators about two
wears before their terms commence
and in Louisiana, United States Sen
ator was once elected-and elected in
strict conformity to the Federal law
three or four years before his term
commenced. In Virginia WILLIAM
MALONE was elected in 1879, though
he could not take his seat until 1881;
and JOHN W. DANIEL, who was elected
in 1885, will not take his seat until
after March 4, 1887.
But it is not in one respect only that
the law has operated in manner differ
ent from that in which it was expected
and intended to operate Look at the
condition of things that obtains now in
New Jersey. The act of Congress
provides that in every State the cleo
, ton for United States Senator shall
begin on "the second Tuesday after
the meeting and organization of the
Legislature, which shall assemble last
before the term of the new United
States Senator is to begin. The words
"and organization were put into the
law because it had often happened that
Legislatures had not been able to or
ranize before the second Tuesday
after their meeting. Full time was al
lowed for the organization of the Legis-
lature-just as much time, in fact, as
the members might choose to consume
in effecting that object.
What has been the result in
New Jersey? Why, in the Senate,
the Republicans, having majority,
refuse even totry to organize that body.
The Legislature has been in session
nominally ever since the 18th of Jan
uary-more than two weeks-and yet
one branch of it is still i'll chaotic
condition. The Democrats, being the
minority, cannot organize it, The Re
pubhcans, being the majority, refuse to
organize it.
Day before yesterday was the second
Tuesday after the meeting of the Legis-
nature and after the organization of the
lower house. So the Democrats in the
this lower house met and proceeded to
ballot for United States Senator. OF
course nobody was elected. But the
Democrats OF both houses were to meet
together yesterday and try to elect
United States Senator. They lean,
however, upon a broken reed when
they take action based upon the as
sumption that the United States Senate
will do justice in the premises, and will
decide upon its merits the contested
election case which may grow out of these
proceedings. The Republicans in the
United States Senate are no better, we
fear, than those in the New Jersey Lee
gislature, and could hardly be expected
10 decline to decide the case upon tech
nical legal grounds. They would re-
fuse TO seat the new Democratic Sena-
tor, if one should be elected under the
present circumstances, upon the ground
that the body which elected him was
not joint convention of the two houses
of the New Jersey Legislature, but
convention Of private persons belong
ing to the two houses aforesaid.
The act of Congress under which
these irregular proceedings are taking
place ought at once TO be altered and
amended so as TO provide that when the
members of one branch Of State Legis-
lature refuse TO organize, those of the
members who are willing TO do so shall
meet with the organized branch on the
proper day, and the election of a United
States Senator shall then and there be
made by majority vote of this joint
> convention. 1t is not at all probable
that under such law both houses would
ever refuse to organize, seeing that II
both were controlled by the same party
they would have no dhficulty in electing
United States Senator. If, however,
this new emergency should arise, Con
gress could then provide new remedy.
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Mr.. CowLEs, in the House of Repre-
sentatives, on Tuesday last very logi-
cally objected to the consideration of
the bill providing for the distribution
II Il.